The paneled glass ceiling of the Grand Palais was abuzz with fresh talent and established galleries as the first Art Basel Paris unfolded inside its newly renovated walls.
The first, five-day-long Paris edition closed Sunday, bringing together 195 galleries from 42 countries and territories. In addition, 65 galleries operating in France were also present. Overall, the inaugural event attracted more than 65,000 visitors, including leading figures and emerging stars all around the Parisian art and design scene.
But that’s not all. From Avenue Winston Churchill to Place Vendôme, Paris came alive with indoor and open air exhibits like John Chamberlain’s knotty green Balmywisecrack sculpture from 2011 and Niki de Saint Phalle’s L’Arbre-Serpents from 1988. The former home of designer Karl Lagerfeld, L’Hôtel des Maisons, a palatial 18th-century mansion in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, hosted Design Miami.Paris, which ran Oct. 16 to Sunday and where there was also no shortage of conceptual design curations and icons new and old.
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Here, WWD explores some of the week’s highlights:
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Alexander May x Pierre Augustin Rose
“It’s always magical to see the collection of works in both of these fairs brought to the public, no matter which city they’re presented in. But in the context of Paris, it is truly such a pleasure,” Alexander May told WWD. May, who has worked in brand strategy, set design and creative direction, unfurled his first furniture designs at the Pierre Augustin Rose showroom on 8 Rue Herold, as well as art he curated from various Paris galleries.
For the collaboration, May, who is the founder and director of Los Angeles-based creative studio Sized, reimagined Pierre Augustin Rose’s core upholstery collection by surrounding the sleek pieces of furniture enveloped in hand-painted canvas, surrounded by a selection of art work and high gloss vinyl curtains.
When asked if he found his groove in furniture design, May said, “For Pierre Augustin Rose, I approached the collaboration more as a curator than a designer. Although I did paint the fabrics for a range of upholstered pieces…it was a reinterpretation of their offering, and a chance to provide a unique scenography that I developed for the exhibition.” The exhibit is on display until Oct. 27.
Mark Manders
Mark Manders, the Belgium-based Dutch artist, is famous for his ever-evolving self portrait through sculpture, still life and architectural plans. Well-known for his flair for combining dry clay and materials like painted bronze and wood, Manders’ work was unveiled in two exhibitions during Art Basel Paris. His new works were on display in the booths of galleries Belgium’s Xavier Hufkens and New York City- and L.A.-based gallery Tanya Bonakdar Gallery.
Jean Prouvé
Before his death in 1984, Jean Prouvé famously said there was no difference between designing a building or a chair. The metalworker, designer and self-taught architect famous for his prefabricated houses and structures is considered a pillar of the French modern movement. At Design Miami.Paris, his iconic chairs and armchairs were on display, while a prefabricated house of his was showcased on Avenue Winston Churchill, before the Art Basel Paris venue the Grand Palais.
Rick Owens
New York’s Salon 94 Design presented two editions of Rick Owens’ Tomb Chair. Inspired by everything from his favorite shapes in nature to the work of Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși and the skateparks of California, the Tomb Chair is indicative of the American fashion designer’s dark, minimalist aesthetic developed when he began creating bespoke furniture for his bunker-style loft in Los Angeles.
Nilufar
Nina Yashar’s Milan shrine of design made a splash at Design Miami.Paris with signature flair for imbuing the vintage with the contemporary. Inside the Hotel de Maison, Nilufar featured a selection of rare vintage icons by masters paired with burgeoning names.
Inside, vintage works were paired with contemporary pieces by Italian designer Christian Pellizzari, whose Brugamansia Amaranto floating lamp was staged above a low table by the late Gabriella Crespi, a chest of drawers by Gio Ponti, another low table by Greece- and U.S.-based futuristic studio Objects of Common Interest and floor lights by Milan’s Osanna Visconti, among others. Of the Brugmansia series made with Murano glass, Pellizzari said, “I conceived these light art pieces during an early-morning stroll in August in Tangier. Amidst the historical Medina I encountered vast bushes of Brugmansia, which sparked my imagination.”
Looking back on an eventful calendar of events, Art Basel Paris director Clément Delépine said the 2024 edition took over two years to plan. The outcome was better than expected. “Seeing it come to life in such an extraordinary way in the heart of Paris has felt truly special. Our galleries, partners, collectors and visitors have all contributed to the undeniable enthusiasm we have witnessed across the city, and I am immensely grateful for their support.”